


no exception

by soft (onlysweeter), squishy (Snowingiron)



Series: In The Stars (dark narry demigod au) [2]
Category: One Direction (Band), Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Aftercare, Alternate Universe - Greek Mythology, Alternate Universe - Percy Jackson Fusion, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Begging, Camp Half-Blood, Demigods, Exhibitionism, First Kiss, Flirting, Fluff and Smut, Hair Kink, Hair-pulling, Harry (Son of Aphrodite), Liam (Son of Zeus), Light Dom/sub, Louis (Son of Hermes), M/M, Manipulation, Niall (Son of Apollo), Past Child Abuse, Power Play, Smut, Terrible Jokes, Zayn (Son of Apollo)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-09-20 18:37:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9505898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlysweeter/pseuds/soft, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snowingiron/pseuds/squishy
Summary: He wants to teach Harry a lesson. He wants to give him a taste of his own medicine. He knows he has to wait for the right moment, has to wait for Harry to notice him. It doesn't work if he throws himself at him. Harry has to believe that it's his game. He has to believe that he's the one in control. Even though the chase already started and it's Niall who leads it. He wonders if Harry will catch up with him.(More Percy Jackson AUs! Basically the counterpart tothe only exceptionbut from Nialls pov with some blanks filled in.)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Who are we kidding here. We're knee-deep into this and we're quite comfortable... Right?
> 
> (ALL THE LOVE TO MY SWEET SISTER WHO HELPED ME WRITE IT. So yeah, we worked on this together. I love you <3)
> 
>  
> 
>   
> 

Everyone knows who Harry Styles is and Niall is no exception. He’s the son of Aphrodite, who charms his way through beds and hearts, woh is known to the whole camp. he uses everything he has, the gifts of his heritage, for petty and selfish reasons. He has a history of leaving broken hearts behind, even at such a young age. It’s his instinct to manipulate the other children into doing things to him. The worst of it: they know it and let him do it to them anyway.

Niall has always been watching, has always hated Harry for giving in to this urge, the exploitage of feelings. Still, Niall can’t help but feel drawn to it, his eyes finding Harry easily, even now: He’s brushing back the hair of an Ares kid, only to let his hand trail back over her cheek, stroking it with one single finger. Someone should stop him, Niall thinks. But he’s too young yet to understand why all the things Harry does make him so angry.

All Niall knows is that Harry has a heart like everyone else. He wonders if it can break, too.

*

Niall is ten years old and holds a bow and arrow for the first time. His arms are trembling, both from effort and excitement. He wants to learn it so badly but he is scared to disappoint. Both his father and Chiron. The absent father whom he still wants to make proud. And Chiron, with his kind and patient eyes. _You cannot disappoint anyone but yourself in this place. Give yourself a chance._

Chiron didn't give him any instructions yet, he just lets Niall try and adjust to the weight of the bow, the speed of the arrow. Niall misses the target every single time and feels like he's about to cry. His eyes sting but he doesn’t allow himself to cry. He quickly blinks the tears away and draws another arrow, the last one from his quiver. He aligns it with the bow and then drags the string back until it touches his lips.

He focuses on the target, squinting his eyes just a little, but when he’s about to let go he sees Chiron's hand entering his field of vision. His finger pushes at the arrow from underneath and Niall has no choice but to lift the bow as well.

"Aim for the sun," Chiron says.

Niall frowns. "Why? I can't shoot the sun."

"If you aim for the sun, your father's grace will guide the arrow."

"Really?"

"He is your father. Whatever you shoot at, you will hit it. Just trust in him and yourself."

"But if I aim for the sun... Won't I kill it?"

He sneaks a glance at Chiron who looks back at him curiously.

"Do you think you could?"

Niall's eyes don't hurt when he shifts them back to the sun. He gazes straight into it but it doesn't sting, doesn't blind him, instead he looks past the light, the flames, the core and everything it's made of, to see the pure essence of it. It burns so brightly and it's quite familiar to Niall. The essence hums and beats like a heart, and Niall's beats along with it.

"What is that?" Niall whispers.

"It's something ancient and pure, something that has been locked away. The true force of the sun."

"I feel it, inside of me," he murmurs, feeling at ease. "I could kill it."

"Do you want to?"

Niall slowly drops his eyes back to the target that is still standing there, mocking him by being unharmed. The arrow is brimming between his fingers, vibrant and almost _alive_. 

"No."

This time, when he aims for the target, the arrow goes right through its centre. 

*

He wants to teach Harry a lesson, he decides. He wants to give him a taste of his own medicine. He knows he has to wait for the right moment, has to wait for Harry to notice him because throwing himself at Harry like everyone else won’t work. Harry has to believe that it's his game. He has to believe that he's the one in control. Even though the chase already started and it's Niall who leads it. He wonders if Harry will catch up with him one day.

It happens sooner than he expected but it doesn't end the way Niall had planned. Because it doesn't end at all. It just keeps going, Harry on his knees, Harry on his stomach, Harry on his back with his eyes closed and pretty moans slipping from his mouth. He doesn't know why Harry comes back to him every time, why he feels the draw just as much as Niall does. 

Harry always has that needy look on his face and when he begs, it does things to Niall. It goes beyond his intend to teach Harry a lesson and reaches deeper than simple attraction. He had hoped that revealing his own true self, his own selfishness would work like a mirror on Harry. He thought it would turn him away and make him choose kindness as well.

But what happens is quite the opposite and for the first time Niall doesn’t know how to stop. There is a side of him that wants to protect. It has always been there, strong and prominent. What he feels with Harry is the same but with so many more layers and so much possessiveness it scares him. Because he doesn't just want to shield Harry away from the pain. He wants to tear the pain apart and drape Harry in its entrails like jewellery. 

"Please," Harry gasps from beneath him, Hands and knees pressed against the sheets. "Please, just a little."

It is fascinating, how reluctant Harry has been in the beginning, how hard it was for him to beg. His teeth always tormenting his bottom lip before he got the words out. But now they come without care, without holding back and Niall thrives on it. He hadn't planned for this, but Harry is always coming back to him, craving Niall's rough touch. And Niall feels a satisfied growl climb up his throat every time Harry offers his neck, his whole body. Only his heart is still locked away, safe and sound, far away from Niall's or anyone's grasp. 

Niall wants to know who did this to Harry, who broke him like that. But at the same time Niall knows he shouldn’t care because he is not going to fix him, he can’t. But maybe he'll take Harry by the hand and lead him to a place where he can fix himself. And then what? Niall can’t let himself finish that thought. It’s not the part of the plan.

"A little of what?" Niall finally asks and stops moving, which makes Harry push back with a low whine.

"Just... My hair. Pull it."

Niall hums and lets one of his hands smooth over the skin of Harry’s back, climbing up his spine. Harry is already throwing back his head, begging loudly. He is beautiful, he always is, but even more so when he becomes this shivering mess under Niall's touch. Does he look like that with everyone? Niall pushes the thought aside and reaches up to undo Harry's hair, flicking away the seashells until it's loose and silky in his hands. 

"Yes," Harry hisses when the tug makes it hard for him to speak. "Niall..."

"Tell me if it doesn't hurt enough," Niall gasps and pushes back into Harry, circling his hand to wrap the loose strands around his fingers.

Every time Niall's hand yanks at the roots of Harry’s hair he lets out a guttural moan, a whole string of them that never stops. Niall enjoys breaking him open like that and count the pieces. It’s hard not to come right on the spot when Harry's arms finally give out and his face sinks into the sheets, making his back arch in a way that steals Niall's breath. He bends over him, changing the angle as he picks up speed and shoves Harry deeper into the mattress. His fingers push against Harry's scalp, stroking over it for a moment, then he brushes over Harry’s open and panting mouth.

"Harry..." Niall's voice cracks at the end, he is barely holding it together now.

Harry only reacts by shifting his head some more so he can peek up at Niall, tongue sweeping over one of his fingers. Close. They are both close. But looking at Harry is almost too much, his brain overwritten with pleasure and he almost forgets who is teaching who a lesson, who is breaking whose heart. He stops himself before he can kiss Harry, thinking: _Not yet._.

Niall closes his eyes and buries his teeth in Harry's neck, nuzzling at the skin before he sucks a bruise into it. He tries to concentrate on the firm movements of his own hips, readjusting to find the angle that makes Harry whine and scrape at the sheets with his fingers. When he finds it he thrusts into it, one hand back into Harry's hair, the other moving down to wrap around Harry's hard cock. Fucking him feels too good but it's Harry who comes first, all over Niall's hand, and the fabric of the sheets almost rips under his tight grip.

"Fuck, Niall," he gasps and Niall stills in him, only moving his hand now until the last drop filths the bed beneath them. 

Harry makes an unhappy noise when Niall pulls out to roll him onto his back. His pupils are dilated, his brown hair a mess of unruly curls and his mouth open to suck in the air. Harry is beautiful, and Niall tells him so. But there is no smug grin and no roll of eyes, not even a blush. Harry just stares at him, trembling legs trying to wrap themselves around Niall's hips.

"You… didn't come yet."

It's true and Niall is desperately trying to calm down because he feels like the lightest touch will do just that. He He keeps Harry in place by holding on to his thighs and then bends down to nip at the skin of his throat.

"Niall," Harry breathes and tries to move under him.

"No," Niall says firmly. "I'll give you five minutes to relax. Then I will fuck you again."

Harry lets out a small hysterical laugh, like Niall is insane. "I'm not sure I can go another round. We've been at it all day."

"I know," Niall whispers and licks his lips, dark gaze following the lines of Harry’s body. "But I'm not finished with you yet."

He really isn't finished with Harry, he realises. Maybe it’s okay to delay the heartbreak, the revelation. It will be more bittersweet, Niall tells himself. Until then, all he wants to do is learn about Harry's skin. He wants to count the moles like stars and draw lines between them with his fingers. He wants to taste the tattoos on his chest and his arms and hear the story behind each and every one of them. He could ask Zayn, Zayn and Harry have been friends for a while and his brother would tell him. But Niall wants to hear it from Harry's mouth. He wants the truth, not the truth Harry twists to get his way with.

Harry swallows hard and nods slowly. "Okay."

Niall smirks. Harry always comes back to him and he tries to ignore the hot sensation that tries to pierce his heart. It’s almost like he’s falling in love with Harry.

*

The Ares cabin organises sparring matches on a regular basis. It started as a very exclusive thing but now there are more and more kids from other cabins involved. Niall only likes to watch, he is not the right guy for close combat. Give him a bow and an arrow and he makes sure that there is enough time for others to do their ridiculous and time consuming combat moves. Niall is only a protector and he likes it that way. 

There is an Ares girl with quite low self-esteem. She switched her glasses to contact lenses, unlike him, and tries to fit in with the rest of her siblings. Niall has known her for a long time and she is one of those kids that he still has to push every now and then, to stop her from putting herself down.

"Niall! You came," she says, smiling at him, and Niall smiles back. 

"Of course I did! It's always great to see you and the others do their best. Makes me want to give my best too."

She beams at him and Niall smiles brighter. This is it. This is why he's doing it. Niall likes being kind and it serves a purpose besides making others happy. If everyone around him becomes stronger and happier it benefits him too. _Kindness is not a weakness_ , he had told Harry once. All he got as response was a roll of Harry’s eyes but he will understand soon enough. He will understand why Niall made that choice, because nothing is worth the pain that remains. And then he’ll make that choice too, hopefully.

"You forgot to hug her," Zayn chuckles beside him and bumps their shoulders together. "You know it always works best when you hug them."

Niall laughs. Zayn knows his game, is the only one who knows Niall completely, inside out, and still loves him. Without Zayn his life would be a lot emptier.

"But when I hug her she expects a kiss next time. I don't want to disappoint her."

Also, Harry is across the room, throwing casual glances at Niall and he can’t help but wonder if it’s jealousy. If it’s the same kind Niall feels whenever Harry crawls into someone else’s lap. But today is not about him, he can't be selfish. Later perhaps he'll smooth a hand over someone's cheek and smile at them until Harry frowns. He will let Harry mope for a couple of hours before he leads him away from the crowd to ravish him behind the bushes. Because Niall’s starting to grow weak and the reins of the chase slowly start to slip from his fingers.

"Whatever you say, little bro," Zayn says with a knowing smirk and Niall rolls his eyes.

When the fighting starts Niall makes sure to cheer for everyone equally. It's supposed to be fun after all. But when Harry decides to jump in, Niall is a little more focused and above all curious. He hasn't seen Harry fight properly before since the arena doesn't really count. He has a dagger strapped to his hip and when he enters the fighting ring with Liam, the Zeus kid, he gathers his hair up to tie it away from his face.

Niall feels his mouth go dry at the sight and his cock twitches in his pants. He can't stop it, his brain quickly providing memories of Harry doing his hair like this before he goes on his knees. It's burned into his mind and makes him want to bend Harry over so he can fuck him and tug at the tie until his hair falls loose. Niall wouldn't even mind the audience. And the scary thing is: He knows that Harry wouldn't mind either.

"You're drooling," Zayn whispers into his ear and Niall quickly wipes at his mouth. 

It's coming away dry.

"Oh, fuck you." Niall scoffs and crosses his arms over his chest while Zayn gives him one of his teasing chuckles. 

"What weapons do you choose?" The head of the Ares cabin asks and Harry draws his dagger. Liam draws two.

"Two are always better than one," Liam says with a grin.

"You think so?" Harry casually flips around his dagger without even looking at it. "You'll never know when you’re in need of a free hand."

As soon as someone yells "go!" they attack each other, the blades of their daggers sparkling in the light. There is lightning running through Liam's, probably a gift from his dad, and he definitely knows how to wield them. It’s a bit of surprise but Harry is actually faster then Liam which is why he doesn't need two daggers and simply dodges the attack. He knows how to draw Liam out and only strikes at him occasionally, saving most of his energy. Sometimes he flicks his dagger from one hand into the other, confusing Liam even more, until two daggers are scattered on the floor and Liam lies on his back with Harry's blade pressed to his throat. 

Niall holds back a moan by pressing his knuckles against his lips. There is something alluring about it, a child of the goddess of love who fights like he's having sex and uses his gifts to make them submit. It’s why Liam stays on his back with a look on his face like he just had the best shag of his life. It's a dangerous game and Niall knows that Harry is putting on a bit of a show today.

His eyes briefly flicker over to Niall, a tiny smile tugging at his lips. Niall knows that smile too well because it belongs to him alone and asks for so many things at once. It begs for a firm hand in Harry’s hair, a kiss that he doesn’t deserve and for praise that makes him sink to his knees. Niall will give him all of that, yet he’s worried about the thousands of other things he’s ready to do for Harry. Niall takes a deep breath and rubs over the aching spot in his chest.

There is a triumphant grin on Harry's face now, a few strands of hair loose from his messy bun. Everyone else is cheering and howling. Liam looks more than impressed and lets Harry pull him up to his feet again. Harry always basks in the attention like one would tan in the sun. And if he's doing it for too long, Niall will burn him.

Harry soon has the next opponent in front of him, and another, wielding his dagger swiftly with watchful green eyes. At some point he fixes his hair with his eyes trained on Niall. He wants a reaction, a smile, he wants to see a hint of Niall's arousal and Niall gives it to him, only for a brief moment, a flash of hunger in his eyes. It's enough to make the red on Harry’s cheeks turn a few shades darker.

Harry fights until he loses to an Athena boy and bows to the cheering crowd. After that he only has eyes for Niall, who has to stop his heart from beating too fast.

"Did you see me?" Harry asks in excitement. He doesn't spare a single glance for Zayn, who coughs and turns away to busy himself with something else.

"I did see you. Not bad for a child of Aphrodite." Harry seems to grow two inches at the praise, his eyes gleaming with pride and something more. Niall can't help it then, he touches Harry by the elbow, sliding his fingers down until they entangle with Harry's. "Let's get out of here."

Harry's nod is almost too eager.

He _does_ shove Harry into the bushes a few minutes later, face buried in Harry's lap to suck him off. It is sloppy, quick and incredibly satisfying. Harry is still riding high on adrenaline, not holding back his moans, whispering filthy things that have Niall almost rut against the ground. He doesn't dare to touch Niall's hair, though he can't help but thrust his hips up into Niall's mouth, making him choke. Harry apologises quickly but Niall only shakes his head, pressing fevered kisses to the butterfly inked into Harry's skin.

 _I want to ruin you for everyone else_ , he thinks, realises, and it almost makes him freeze. He, the son of Apollo who burns so brightly, feels like he’s been drained in ice-cold water. This was not the plan. It wasn’t the plan to fall for Harry. The plan was to break him so he can heal, to make him open up and offer his heart to that kind of love his mother stands for. The one he deserves because no matter how much Niall hated him for what he did, he wants him to be happy. Oh _gods_ , Niall wants him to be _happy_.

He tried to be kind but all he did so far was selfish, so selfish. Because _he_ wants to be the one to sink his crooked teeth into Harry’s heart, _he_ wants to be the one Harry loves. He wants to be gentle and rough at the same time, wants to be cruel and kind because that’s just who he is and Harry is the only one who _knows_ (aside from Zayn).

Would he let Niall love him or would he break his heart like he did with everyone else? The truth is, both their hearts are vulnerable right now, so easy to break, how did Niall not see it before? He sees it now, in Harry’s hooded eyes, in his shuddering breath. He is everything Niall wants and he wants him to be his. _Change of plans_.

"I’ll make you feel so good ," Niall mumbles and slides back down, flicking his tongue over the tip of Harry's cock. He takes him into his mouth again and this time he uses just the slightest hint of teeth.

It makes Harry lose control, hips jerking before he comes down Niall's throat. It's awful, Niall doesn't like the taste of it, so he pulls away and lets it drip from his chin while coughing loudly. It takes some time for Harry to calm down but he does eventually, with his fingers clawed into his own face. 

"Oh gods."

Niall wipes at his own mouth with the back of his hand, feeling lightheaded and _good_. He loves how Harry looks, completely undone because of Niall. When Harry’s finally back in his own head he pushes himself up into a sitting position, trousers still open, hair a mess, to fumble with Niall's fly. Niall stops his hands and shakes his head.

"No. Don't. That was for you, just you."

"What, why?"

He shrugs. "Because I'm a nice guy."

Harry frowns at him with pouty lips. "Rude."

Niall only grins.

*

"Hey Niall."

"What."

"Why does Ares only have a Sony Playstation?"

"…?"

"Because he is the God Of War"

Niall groans.

*

The other thing is: Niall is not patient. He wants Harry when he wakes up, he wants Harry when he goes to bed and he even wants Harry in-between all of that. 

Harry, who found the dark spot behind Niall's golden sheen, the one he had tucked away for everyone else's sake. Harry found it and he wants it, wants it all. But right now it's just a physical thing for him, isn't it? He hasn't learned about love yet. Niall is not sure how hard it will be to walk away when Harry is healed and decides to give his love to someone else. Niall knows what the right thing to do is, but it's hard to let go of your prey after you tasted blood.

That's why he can't always keep it a secret and play the shy boy in front of everyone. Sometimes it overwhelms him and he wants to show them that Harry belongs to him. Harry doesn't half of it, how hard it is to hold back. He doesn't know about the things Niall wants to do to him. But Harry never refuses, quite the opposite.

There is that one night when they sit together at the Apollo table, because Harry has insisted on it with his filthy little grin, just so he can press their thighs together and rub his foot against Niall's calf. Niall can't help himself when he pulls Harry's plate over and picks up his dinner with his fingers. Harry looks at him curiously and then parts his lips when Niall pushes the food against them. 

He feeds Harry while everyone is watching and whispering behind their hands but he doesn't care. He just watches Harry's lips catch the tips of his fingers with that last bite. He sucks them a little deeper into his mouth until his cheeks hollow out, licking off the grease. Then Harry releases them with a loud _pop_ and Niall is quite ready to bend Harry over the table.

He restrains himself and blushes instead, as if it was Harry's idea and Niall only rolled with it. That's what everyone will think. Niall lets them believe it.

*

Zayn is gone. 

It's been days and Niall still can't believe it. Even less accept it. Every morning he rolls over to check up on the other bunk in the hopes to find Zayn. But he’s not there and Niall is so moody that Harry carefully tiptoes around him. During the day he lies in Zayn's old bed, trying to get rid of that horrible feeling in his chest. Zayn has always been there for him as he has been there for Zayn. But now he just left, without saying a word. _why?_

"I'm sorry, Niall," Tess says when he enters her room.

"I didn't even say anything yet."

"You don't have to. I knew he'd leave."

"You... Why didn't you tell me!"

Tess adjusts her glasses and looks up at him. He's trembling with anger.

"He didn't want you to know. He didn't want anyone to know. I'm sorry... I can't tell you more."

Niall lets loose a hysterical laugh. "Yeah... right. Thank you for nothing, Tess."

She grabs his wrist when he tries to leave. 

"Niall..."

"Fuck off." 

Niall tears his arm out of her grasp and runs. He doesn't know how long he runs but he knows he is close to the camp border. He's passing trees and runs and runs until his lungs are burning. He collapses into a bed of leaves, breath coming so fast he might pass out.

Zayn is gone. 

Niall has many siblings, but this hurts the most. It hurts and he can't let anyone know. Not because it would ruin the image everyone has of him. It would probably benefit it. If he's showing his vulnerable side surely everyone will dote on him. But that's not what he wants and that’s why he’s running.

He wants Harry with him, wants him to make it hurt a little less. Harry has already tried but it’s not enough. Niall wants to have him whole, knowing that it’s the only thing that can console him now but Harry is not ready. He hasn’t managed to break into Harry’s heart yet, so he cannot approach him, cannot take what he wants, what he needs. It’s foreign to himself to feel so vulnerable and he can barely even handle it, so how could Harry?

Which is why he stares in disbelief when some time later Harry stands before him, hand resting against one of the trees, lip caught between his own teeth, unsure whether he's even allowed to be here. Niall's sight is blurry, glasses abandoned next to him, but he can still see Harry, everything he does, the look on his face. His eyes are sharp at distances, he just cannot see what is right in front of him.

"Harry..." Niall can’t stop himself from lifting his arms to reach out for the other boy.

Harry smiles before he crouches down in front of Niall and drapes his arms around him. Niall immediately pushes his face into Harry’s neck and drags in a long breath to fight the urge of dragging him down with him.

"I don't know why he left," he finally murmurs. Harry's hand on his back stills. "and I'm so angry that he left without saying a word."

"He probably knew that you wouldn't let go of him so easily."

Niall snorts. "I would've dragged him back by his feet and then strapped him to his bed."

He feels Harry's breath in his hair when he chuckles. "You can strap _me_ down if you want."

Niall sniffles and looks up at him. "You'd let me, huh?"

"Uh..." Harry doesn't try to hide his arousal.

"I might, but not today. Gods, I’m sick of crying about my brother."

"Love always hurts at some point. But there are different reasons for why it does. Your love is pure and your pain means that you care. Caring is good."

Niall can't help but smile with some of the weight on his heart dissolving. He remembers their conversation about love, remembers why Harry doesn't believe in it. At least not all kinds of love. But maybe love is the reason Harry is here right now. Niall thought he couldn't go to Harry with his pain, but Harry is here anyway. Because he always looks for Niall.

_Soon._

*

It's a Poseidon kid who approaches Niall eventually. Niall has seen them with Harry before but that was ages ago. 

"Be careful, Nialler," they say. "We all know Harry. _You_ know Harry. We don't want you to get hurt."

They bite their lips and Niall knows that they are concerned about him. Even though they don't know Niall that well. Still, his eyes soften and he puts a hand on their shoulder.

"You're a good kid..." What was their name? "Meredith. Thank you for looking after me."

He shows them a toothy smile and rubs their shoulder one more time before he lets go.

"Nialler..."

"Yes?"

"Really. Take care of yourself."

"I will!"

They don't know, none of them know, that it's Harry they should be concerned about.

*

"Hey, Niall."

"Hm?"

"Why did Medusa's eyes not work on Ozzy Osbourne?"

"Ugh..."

"Because he was already stoned."

Harry yelps when Niall pushes him out of the bed.

*

Harry feels awake but cannot open his eyes for several minutes. All of his limbs are heavy like stone and so numb he doesn't know how to move. At all. Why is he awake? He wants to sleep for another few hours or so, the sun isn't even up yet. What woke him then? There's something uncomfortable settling in his stomach, something that tells him to _wake the fuck up_ , so he takes all the effort he can come up with to force his eyes open.

He wants to close them again immediately.

It's dark, obviously, but there is also the light of the moon illuminating his siblings' sleeping faces. It's not a soft pale light though, it is red. Harry pushes himself up until so can look out of the window. A red moon. The moon always glows orange during a lunar eclipse but this is not a normal eclipse. The moon is red. Red like blood. 

"Fuck." 

Harry stumbles out of bed, slipping into decent clothes and grabs the dagger from the chest by his bed. He knows that something is wrong, he can feel it in every bone and the only thing he can think about is to find Niall. He doesn't know why but it’s an instinct that has become such a constant, he doesn’t even know how to fight it (and perhaps he doesn’t want to). He tries to wake his siblings first and shakes their shoulders, calls their names (the only names that truly matter), but they don't wake up. They don't even flinch or turn away from him with a mumbled insult, they just _sleep_. It's terrifying.

Harry is about to take a deep breath when he suddenly hears drumming noises from outside. They're harsh and dark and where a mortal’s instinct is to hide away, a demigod’s instinct is to investigate. He leaves on quick feet but comes to a sudden stop when he takes in the sight of the camp. The red light taints everything and Harry wonders if this is what Tartarus looks like. A red light that makes everything look like it's covered in blood. 

Harry has no time to worry about that though because he can see something move, dark shadows crawling out of the lake, growling, hissing, all moving in the same direction. The Apollo Cabin. Harry draws his dagger and _runs_. It's mad, he doesn't even know what his tiny little dagger can do, but he has to try, even though his limbs feel heavy and his head too light. _Niall_ , he thinks. How does his first thought always belong to Niall? It’s ridiculous.

"Ugh, you look disgusting," Harry huffs and tightens the grip on his dagger when a few creatures turn his way. They're not particularly tall but they still look massive, like they could easily crush him between their claws. 

Harry's legs move on their own, he is a demigod after all. He is born to fight. So he doesn't think about it as he slits the first one's throat. It bleeds, it can bleed, and it splatters all over Harry's face. He stumbles backwards for a moment, wiping at his eyes before the next monster charges him. He wields his dagger quickly but not very efficiently. He can barely see, the red light of the moon is as confusing as the darkness. And blood. There is more blood covering his arms, his shirt and he feels filthy. He dodges a blow of the creature behind him, but feels a claw grazing his right side. He curses, cutting off the claw only a moment later but they are many and even more of them seem to abandon their former target to kill him first.

"Whatever," he gasps. Maybe he is buying time for someone, anyone. Like one of those proper heroes, the ones Mr. D despises so much. But what if it’s all for nothing? What if he’s the only one awake?.

One of the shadows, pitch black with glowing red eyes, manages to grab him by the arm and Harry screams. Its skin is cold, so cold that it is burning him. But only a moment later a streak of light shoots through the monster's head and makes it burst. It doesn't bleed, the light, an arrow?, turns it into dust, golden dust and the other monsters halt. Then there is another arrow, piercing the heart of another creature.

Harry gasps, pressing his hand over the aching skin of his arm and turns around. It's Niall, standing on top of the Apollo cabin and he _glows_. There is a soft golden light radiating from his skin, his glasses folded into the front of his shirt in his familiar way. The arrow on his bow seems to be made of sunlight and a golden trail follows it before it hits another monster.

Harry can't move, can't look away from him. Niall looks like a _god_.

*

Niall knows something is wrong the moment he wakes up. He is not the only one, all of his siblings are sitting in their beds, making worried noises and scared faces. They all see it, the red moon that makes their hearts heavy. There is something coming for them and Niall doesn't know what to do. He turns around to the other bed.

"Zayn--" 

He stops. His breath catches in his throat and he feels nauseous. Zayn is gone. His big brother isn't here to help him. Niall is head counselor now, he's the eldest and he _has_ to to look after his siblings.

With a quick jump he’s out of his bed and throwing himself into a pair of jeans before he grabs his bow and arrow and looks for his younger sister.

"Lou!" The girl looks up at him with concern.

"Niall... Something is coming out of the lake."

"I know. I saw it. I want you to get the little ones and run for the big forest, okay? You can leave the camp this way."

Her eyes widen. "The forest! Niall, the forest is dangerous!"

"I think the forest might be the least dangerous place right now. Whatever this is will most likely not follow you into it. Try to find the Dryads."

She hesitates.

"Lou!"

"Yes!"

"I can't do this without you. So please, do as I say."

Her breath falters but she nods. "Alright, I... I'll do it. But what about you?"

Niall takes off his glasses and hooks them into the front of his shirt. He can see the monsters now, sharp and clear in the distance, red eyes looking right back at him.

"I'll buy you some time."

She hugs him hard, her fragile wrists hooking behind his neck. "Good luck, big brother."

The rest of the Apollo kids climb through one of the windows in the back, led by Lou. At the same time Niall steps out of the front door where the monsters wait for him. The red light and the darkness is overwhelming, he can feel it press against his skin and his soul. The other cabins must be empty or they didn't notice, because it's eerily quiet. Perhaps they’re only here for him and his siblings.

That's what he thinks at least, when he sees some of the dark creatures turn away and charge something or someone else. Niall's eyes are sharp but he still cannot see who it is, so he turns around and starts climbing up the cabin's wall, using every small ledge to push himself upwards. When he's on top of it, he can see the whole camp, he can see everything and he also sees a dagger glistening in the red light.

"Harry," he chokes out, hands immediately reaching for an arrow on his back.

Harry is awake, he is alive, at least he looks alive, but he's having trouble fighting off all these monsters at once. Niall draws the bow, arrow and his line of sight aligning perfectly, but his whole body is shaking. He won't be able to hit the right target like this. He curses himself and tries to breathe, to calm down. This is important, Harry _needs_ him.

And then Harry screams. Niall's eyes widen, he can see Harry throw back his head in pain and that's what makes him do it. He is not scared anymore, he is angry. No one but him is supposed to touch Harry, no one but him is supposed to hurt him because _he_ is also the one who makes it all better when the pain is over. Fuck these monsters. 

Niall draws the bow just a little harder and he feels himself _burn_ from the inside out, his skin is heating up and the arrow in his hand starts to glow. When he lets go there is light bursting from it, from his fingers, from his body, and anyone else would be blinded. But Niall is already reaching for the next arrow, sending it through the heart of the next beast. He is not shaking anymore, he is focused, he knows what to do. He shoots one after the other, until the last one burns into a pile of golden ashes and then Niall practically _jumps_ from the roof of the cabin, dragging his bow over his shoulder so he has both hands free when he reaches Harry.

They barrel into each other with a desperate yell and Niall has never been more relieved. Harry buries his face in Niall's shoulder and Niall holds him, claws into his back and... then he notices. Harry is covered in blood. It's all over his body and Niall pulls back immediately, hands flying up to cup Harry's face and rub over his messy cheeks.

"You're hurt," Niall whispers. 

"It's... not my blood," Harry whispers back and they look at each other. Niall can see the same fear in Harry's eyes.

"Are you sure?" Niall grabs the hem of his own shirt and starts to wipe the blood away from Harry's face, his neck. Then he pats down the rest of his body, squeezing and stroking until he's sure that Harry isn't hurt. Harry is supposed to be safe and happy and _not hurt_. "I heard you screaming. Don't lie to me, Harry."

Harry shakes his head. "Not important."

"It _is_ important," Niall says and tugs him close. _You are important._ Gods, it’s almost as if he’s feeling Harry’s pain like his own.

"My arm," Harry finally admits and lifts it with his head hanging low. Niall squints and puts his glasses back on to get a closer look. Yeah, that definitely must hurt. Niall doesn't have any healing abilities, at least not that he knows of. But maybe he can take the pain away, just a little. Until someone can treat the wound.

"Niall," Harry splutters when Niall presses his lips against his skin, concentrating on this unique pain Harry always seems to feel. Niall usually bites and tears and pulls until Harry gasps and moans at the way it hurts. But he also runs his tongue over the marks he leaves behind and rubs over the aching roots of Harry's hair. That’s what he loves above all else, to be the balm to everything that wounds Harry.

He lifts his head again. "Better?"

Harry is biting his lip as though he's still aching, eyes dropping to Niall's mouth that has been on his skin just a moment ago.

"Yeah, better," he croaks. "Cheers."

Niall breathes a sigh of relief. "Good."

He turns to the lake then, where more monsters start to take form and move to the shore. There is not much time left.

"Good," Niall repeats and then picks up Harry's dagger from the ground to tuck it back into his belt. "I want you to leave." He points behind himself, past the Apollo cabin. "I sent my siblings to the camp border and if you're quick enough you can catch up with them."

"Wait, what?" Niall feels Harry grab his arm hard. "I'm not leaving you alone."

"You have to. I'll go to the big house and see if I can find Chiron or anyone else."

"Everyone else is asleep," Harry says. "My siblings won't move and I think the same happened to every other cabin. Well, except for yours, apparently."

"Yeah and I don't know why that is, I have to find out. If this is about Apollo then you have to _go_."

"Fat chance," Harry hisses angrily and entwines their fingers so tightly it almost hurts. "I'm coming with you."

"Harry--"

"You jump, I jump."

Niall can't help but laugh and as soon as the sound leaves his mouth he feels himself growing warm again. He is glowing and Harry smiles.

"Fine, whatever. Don't get yourself killed."

"Oh, I won't." Harry is grinning now. "I'm too pretty and too young to die."

Niall never thought he'd be this grateful for having Harry with him. Harry and his attitude, Harry and his cocky grin. It’s comforting in a way.

"Come on then, handsome."

They run past the lake, the hill, and the big house is already in sight when they see the bodies. Campers mostly, a few of the head counselors and... Chiron. Mr. D is nowhere to be seen. 

"Shit," Harry crouches down to feel the pulse of a Nike kid. "They're asleep. Everyone is asleep."

"I don't get it," Niall groans. "Why are _we_ awake?"

The monsters are slow but they're still coming, clawing their way up the hill, eyes fixed on Niall. He shudders under their gaze and feels his inner light diminish again. If they don't stop coming from the lake, what is Niall supposed to do?

"There you are!"

He whirls around, hand at his quiver already. He drops it quickly again. It's Tess!

"You're awake!" Harry shoots up to his feet.

Tess stops in front of Niall and stares at Harry with an open mouth. "I _am_ , but why are _you_ awake? You're not supposed to be..." Then her eyes flicker to Niall. "Oh."

"What do you mean, 'not supposed to be'?" Niall asks. "And why aren't you asleep like everyone else?

Tess sighs. "I am the Oracle of Delphi, connected to Apollo, so of course I'm awake." She points at the red moon. "This is Selene."

Harry frowns. "Who?"

"Selene is another name for Artemis," Niall provides.

"No." Tess shakes her head. "Selene is the literal moon, like Helios is the literal sun. Sometimes their names were used for Artemis and your dad, but they were gods of their own, titans actually. Until Apollo and his sister usurped them and they were locked away by Zeus. The only time they have power now is during the solar eclipse and the lunar eclipse. It's when Artemis and Apollo are at their weakest."

"Shit. Why didn't you see that coming?"

"I don't know," Tess hisses. "I mean... I did see something. But I thought it was a dream. I believe Hypnos has a part in this, too... that's why everyone fell asleep. Selene and Helios, they seek revenge. They tried to fight their counterparts a few centuries ago but they still couldn't defeat them, Olympus was protecting them too well."

"So what." Harry comes closer and shoves his hand back into Niall's like it’s just instinct, a natural reaction. Niall’s heart gives an expected and yet unexpected flutter. "They decide to go after their children now?"

Tess looks at Niall with sad eyes and nods. "I think so. Artemis doesn't have any kids and her huntresses are as protected as she is."

"So that only leaves Apollo's offspring." Niall wishes Zayn was here. Zayn always knew how to keep calm in situations like these. "But why keep us awake?"

Tess presses her lips into a thin line and shrugs. "It's not very satisfying, is it? To crush my enemy in their sleep."

"Fuck," Niall scrubs his free hand down his face and throws a look over his shoulder. They're close.

He let's go of Harry to reach for his arrows again and hits two monsters at once. Another deep breath, another step back. Harry draws his dagger.

"Tess, you might want to go back to the big house. The divine power will protect you for a while," Harry says.

"Please," Tess snorts. "Here, hold my fucks."

She waves and hands him... nothing, before she charges the next monster and punches it in the throat. Or what might be the throat. It's hard to tell with those. Harry just gapes at her and Niall grins.

"You know she did a lot of Krav Maga before she came here?"

Harry scratches his chin with the hilt of his dagger. "I didn't know that."

Tess rips the head off of one of the monsters and there is... a lot of blood.

"A little help here, lovebirds?"

Niall blinks. Right. "On it!"

The three of them quickly kill off the next wave of monsters, with Niall falling back to get a better view. His eyes are on both of them, but he can’t help but be a little more focused on Harry. Harry is good at what he does, a true demigod and Niall does his best not to disturb his fights. Instead he aims for the creatures that are most likely to hit his blind side or disturb the flow of his movements. They are the perfect team, Niall realises. He fills in Harry's gaps and protects him as good as he can. Tess doesn't really need his help but he still pierces the eye of one creature when it gets a little too close for his taste. She salutes him.

But it all feels like a waste of effort with more and more monsters emerging from the lake. Niall groans and Harry wipes an arm over his sticky forehead, panting.

"This will go on forever. We need to _do_ something." Harry sounds as exhausted as Niall feels.

"Can't we wait until the night is over?" Niall asks, looking at Tess. She probably knows more about this.

"We could. Though I don't think we can _wait_ for it. And they might get bored of us soon and try to attack the sleeping campers to wear us out... and... I'm not sure if this night won't last longer than others. She is the daughter of a titan, she's powerful."

"Shit," Harry breathes. "Then what? Kill the moon?"

Niall whips his head around and stares at Harry, at his lips that have just uttered those absurd words. _Kill the moon_. Tess snorts at what she just heard. Ridiculous, of course. No one can kill the moon, right? Niall looks up at the bleeding orb in the sky, taking off his glasses again. Impossible.

"I'll do it."

Both of them look at him.

"What?"

"I'll do it. But you both have to leave."

"Niall." Harry sounds wounded.

"No, listen to me. I can do it, okay? At least I think I can... But I need to do this alone and I need you both to be safe."

"I said I would help you." Harry clenches his fists.

Niall knows then, that this is it. Harry's heart is ready, it’s finally capable of breaking. So open and vulnerable before him, Niall could easily step on it if he wanted to. But all he feels right now is pride. Harry could've followed Niall's order from earlier and left for the woods, like the rest of the Apollo cabin. But he'd wanted to save them instead, help Niall save them. It was a choice and he had made it.

( _You idiot_ , Tess thinks as she watches the two boys gaze into each other's eyes. _He doesn't do it for them. He does it for you._ )

"You did help me," Niall says and smiles. "You did so well, Harry."

No matter how fucked they are, even when they are about to die, he will always revel in those moments, when Harry’s arrogance melts away under the praise to reveal a blush. 

"This is about Apollo. I need to do the rest, okay?" He is firm in his words and Harry tucks a loose strand of hair behind his ear, clearly not happy.

"Fine. Do I at least get a kiss?" Of course he’s quickly back to his old game, putting on his flirty smile that is so hard to resist. "We still might die today."

Niall snorts out a laugh, hoping Harry will never realise how well all of that is working on him. 

"Nice try." He pulls Harry into his arms and presses their foreheads together. This is all he can give for now, even though there’s a million things more that he wants from Harry. _Gentle_ , he reminds himself. Even if he dies tonight, he won't ruin the progress he has made with Harry.

"Take care," he whispers and Harry whispers it right back to him, a stubborn frown still tugging at his forehead but he quickly pushes Niall away.

Niall fights the urge to drag Harry back into his arms and watches him run down the hill alongside Tess. The monsters follow them but it’s alright. This will be over soon and those disgusting things will turn into nothing.

"Let's do this," he tells himself and his brother who isn't there, walks up the hill until he reaches the big house. Zayn had always admired his skill with the bow and he's the only one Niall would've wanted to stay back with him.

He carefully draws an arrow from his quiver and promptly realises that it's his last. _You can't make that shit up_ , he thinks. The fates seem to feel the extra drama today. Well, Niall can't deny that it adds to the atmosphere. He smirks to himself and hauls back the bowstring.

 _Aim for the sun_ , he remembers Chiron's voice. _Aim for the moon_ , he hears Zayn in his head.

He does aim for the moon, sees every little flaw of its skin, sees the red colour dulling the light. It's a cold rock in the earth's orbit, nothing special. Yet it is also the home and the heart of Selene, goddess, titan. He can feel her hatred dripping like darkness, right into the lake, where it takes form to seek revenge on her behalf. He knows that the silence he hears is no silence at all. It's her rage blocking out everything else. She is screaming in her cage and he can _see_ her, as she can see him.

_Son of Apollo, nephew to Artemis, you will die. All of you will die._

"I don't think so," he says and aims a little further to the right.

_You cannot kill me, I am the daughter of titans, I am immortal. Not even the gods could defeat me. It’s the reason why they locked me away. You are nothing!_

"I am _everything_ that you are not," is what Niall says, throwing it right into her face. "That is why I will defeat you."

Whatever else she says, he cannot hear it. He aims for the moon, for Selene, her heart, because Niall knows how fragile it can be. And he knows that anger and violence won't get him anywhere. Selene must’ve thought that the lack of the sun wouldn't just weaken Apollo but also his children. But she forgot that they are not gods, not forces of nature that are bound to it.

Niall has a sun burning at the centre of his own being and it has been fueled by smiles and touches and laughs that Harry has given him, turning it into a supernova that lights up the night and makes him _burn_. It should hurt but he can barely feel it. He wonders if someone in another solar system can see him right now, appearing like a new star in the sky that ruins a constellation. 

This sun, this light, this _power_... it's Niall, and no one else. And Niall doesn't abuse his power.

" _'It was easy'," he mumbles to himself. " _'I lit the day. Through Gentleness I got my way'._ "_

__

__

The arrow flies. And it takes all of Niall's light with it, leaving him drained and dizzy and exhausted. It's not night anymore, it's not silent. But before he can see the arrow reach the moon, he passes out.

*

"Hail Niall Horan, son of Apollo. Hail Harry Styles, son of Aphrodite. You honour us and Camp Half-Blood with your courage and strength. You defeated everyone and thus saved us from an even darker fate."

Chiron puts the laurels on both of their heads and all campers, each and every cabin, break into applause. Everyone but Mr. D who nurses his diet coke and only winks at them. Niall and Harry stand there awkwardly while Tess sits a little further away, pouting. She deserves a laurel too and Niall doesn't know why Chiron doesn't honour her the same way. Maybe it's because she's the oracle and not a demigod. Still, he'll give her his laurel later.

There is a feast then and both Harry and Niall leave offerings for Apollo and Artemis. It feels appropriate. Niall's still a little exhausted and every single muscle in his body is sore, but he dances when Harry asks him to and he grabs at him with a laugh, dragging their bodies together until they're hugging instead of dancing.

"You were breathtaking," Harry whispers into his ear.

"So were you."

"No, not like that. You..." He bites at his lip and Niall sighs, because he knows what Harry wants to say. He has said it before. _You'd almost be a god_.

"But you understand now, don't you?" His voice is quiet and he squeezes Harry's sides. "For a demigod I’m way too powerful. I'm almost as powerful as my _dad_. That's why I am the way I am. You have to be careful with things like that."

Harry nods with a serious expression, but it quickly turns wicked again, leaving Niall hot and wanting. 

"So I was right then." Harry runs a delicate finger over Niall’s neck. "You're almost a god. Hngh. That's so hot. I would go on my knees and worship you all day."

Niall rolls his eyes and pinches him hard.

"Ow, fuck, what was that for?"

"Don't turn this into a joke," he says. "With great power comes great responsibility."

Harry snorts with laughter. "Look who's talking! You quote Spider-Man at me."

Niall shrugs. "You quoted Titanic at me."

"Hah! Well... it's a good movie."

"It is," Niall smiles at him. "I bet you cried all the way through it."

"Shut up. It's not just a love story! It's about a privileged young woman who battles depression in a society that tries to own her, like her abusive fiancé and her idle mother. She gets saved from committing suicide but really, that's where the damsel in distress trope ends. He only helps her see that there's a way out, that she can still choose what she wants her life to be like and that she only has to take that chance. She is the one who saved _him_ and then she survives to fulfill her promise of making a life for herself. The movie is a declaration of independence and shows the horrors of class society and the arrogance of men."

He is all hot in the face when he finishes and Niall’s smile is even brighter.

"Anyway," Harry adds quickly. "I really need you to fuck me now." 

He pushes his hard dick against Niall's crotch, making them both hiss. Niall tongues at the corner of his own mouth, drawing out the moment to see how much Harry _really_ needs it. But then he realises that it’s him who’s the most desperate, who needs Harry _that_ much. It’s done, it’s over. His heart is lost and he never wants to find it again.

"Fine. Since you asked so _nicely_."

And this time, when he fucks Harry, he can’t stop himself from kissing him. His face is so beautiful, so open, it never has been like that before. He repeats Harry's name over and over again, says "let me in, Harry." _Let me into your heart, your thoughts, under your skin_. He kisses Harry and licks into his mouth with a groan because it is the best thing to ever happen to him and he hopes Harry feels it, knows it.

Niall is particularly rough today, even though he still feels drained from the night before. But there is so much going on inside of him, feelings that haven't settled down yet and they make him desperate. They make him bite at Harry's lips and Harry _likes it_. He begs for more, _harder, please_ , with his ankles crossed in the small of Niall's back. They are harsh thrusts that make the bunk creak with effort and the sound of skin meeting skin fills the cabin. Niall doesn't care about the party anymore, all he wants to see is Harry coming all over himself so he can swallow his moans.

Harry's lips are swollen and deliciously red when Niall is done with him, when they're both panting with their foreheads resting against each other’s. Niall's back is burning, covered in scratches from where Harry dug his fingers in and dragged them upwards, taking reams of skin with him. It’s a good burn.

Niall presses soft kisses to the corner of Harry's mouth, his jaw, his neck, so contrary to the bite he has left there. It's not an imprint of perfect teeth, it’s crooked and Harry likes it that way, pleasing Niall in return.

"You were so good," Niall whispers. "Can you smile for me?"

When Harry doesn’t respond Niall keeps kissing his heated skin. It’s a thing that happened more often the longer they did this. Harry would lose himself in the moment, as though he’s starting to trust Niall, which makes his heart ache in a good way, really. No one knows him that well and still confides in him. Except for Harry, it seems, who is watching Niall through hooded eyes. There’s only the tiniest hint of a smile tugging at his lips. It's worth it. Everything they do is worth it, Niall thinks.

*

It's two days after the red moon that Harry tells Niall he loves him. It makes them both freeze and steals Niall’s breath. Only the mortified expression on Harry’s face forces the air back into his lungs. Because all it will ever be good for is to tell Harry that he loves him, too. He presses those words into each stretch of skin he can reach without letting go of Harry and he kisses him until he’s hurting from it.

"Did you know?" Harry asks when they find themselves in the grass with stains on their clothes, stains on the pages of Niall’s notebook and stains on their hearts.

"Know what?" Niall asks and forces Harry on his back with nothing but his eyes as he leans over him.

"Where we’d end up." His eyes are so green. Just that. Green. Niall already knows this, why is it making him weak now?

"Of course I did," he lies.

"So… you won the game?"

"I suppose."

" _Suppose!_ "

 _We both won_ , he thinks but doesn’t say out loud because it’s horribly romantic. Harry reads it in his eyes anyway, a grin stretching over his lips before he pulls Niall down by his neck.

*  
It's one day after saying "I love you" that Harry wakes up in the middle of the night. He's sweating, stumbling out of his bed and tearing at the curtains. When he sees the beautifully pale moon, all white and glowing, not even a hint of red, he can breathe again. He doesn't cry, can't bring himself to. He's not even sure he feels anything besides temporary relief. Not even when he wakes up next night to check the curtains _again _.__

He didn't tell Niall about it. He didn't tell Mr. D. No one mentions that he sleeps longer now and goes to bed early. He just crawls back into his bed with trembling legs and presses his face into the pillow, his arm underneath it, to wrap clammy fingers around his dagger. _Just to be safe. Just to be sure._

Soon after that he hears noises coming from outside and he carefully lifts his head. There is a shadow passing by the window and his hearts starts hammering in his chest. He remembers the shadows, their dark form, their awful smelling blood and those red eyes. He grips his dagger a little tighter.

"Harry?"

Harry gasps and opens his eyes at the familiar voice that is laced with unfamiliar tension. Niall is standing in front of his bed, a sheen of sweat that Harry knows too well covering his face. Maybe he isn't alone in this, with the fear of waking up to the red moon. He lifts the covers for Niall, who quickly climbs into his bed, close enough so they can touch each other.

"Couldn't sleep?" Harry whispers.

Niall shakes his head and wraps both arms around Harry, running one hand through his hair. Harry instantly feels calmer. It is almost strange. He remembers being dragged through the house by his hair, remembers the reason why his hair is that long now. But Niall turns it all around, his fears, his weaknesses and makes him crave more of it. Because none of it is scary anymore and maybe he had hoped Niall could do the same for him now.

But this time they're both scared and Harry presses his lips against Niall's neck, mutters nonsense into his skin while Niall writes words on his back. They wound their legs together and inch even closer, until there is no space left between them. It's the only way Harry can imagine to fall asleep now.

Nights without Niall are terrifying, because the night of the red moon had been one like that. And if he wakes up next to Niall, feels him before he sees him, then he already knows that he's not back there, that he won't have to scrub the blood off his skin again. He hadn’t been careful when he wiped at his arms until they were red and raw. Niall found him like this, clicking his tongue with a scolding glare before he bent down and kissed the red marks.

"Will it go away?" Harry asks quietly.

Niall shifts his head so he can look at Harry, hand still combing through his hair.

"I think so... Demigods get used to these kind of things."

"Hm..."

"It doesn't matter, Harry. If it takes longer to get over it. We're in this together."

"Because you love me?" Harry hopes he looks as smug as he feels.

"Yeah, you annoyingly handsome idiot. Because I love you."

Harry lets his finger smooth over Niall's lips, over his crooked teeth.

"Hey, Niall?"

"Yes?"

"Who was Selene's favourite band?"

Niall blinks at him. "Uh...?"

"Walk the moon."

Niall laughs. He laughs and Harry stares at him with a sparkle in his eyes. Niall quickly rolls on top of Harry, pinning his hands above his head. 

"Shut up and kiss me, you idiot."

Harry submits to Niall's lips and relaxes for the first time in days.

*

There are nights neither of them can sleep. But even on good days Niall stays awake for Harry, like Harry stays awake for him. When the nights become unbearable they sit outside by the lake to watch the reassuring white moon. On other nights they do nothing but fuck in the soft grass, making sure that the other is still alive. 

Tonight Harry is watching Niall shoot targets by the hill. It's dark but he hits every single one of them. It calms him to do something he’s good at and he tries not to think about the last time he shot an arrow. An arrow that nearly killed him. He wasn’t giving it much thought when it happened. But later his little brother told him that they had to feed him a lot of nectar, that they weren't sure if he'd survive. Well, Niall had released a lot of energy that night. But he is alright now, he feels normal again. However normal his life can be.

"Do you ever miss your target?" Harry asks from behind him.

Niall releases the string and the arrow hits the small red dot in the middle. 

"Plenty of times. You should've seen my first lessons with Chiron. I never hit the target, not even _once_."

"Guess you weren't always a god then."

"Harry..." Niall throws him a dark, warning look.

Unfortunately that only makes Harry's eyes glaze over with lust. His head shifts a little to the side so his hair falls away from his throat. An offering. Harry is tempting him every hour of the day and he _knows it_. That's why he quickly averts his eyes, shaking his head with a weak smile. His smile drops though, when he spots three figures by the lake. He doesn't have his glasses on so he can see the clear shapes of their faces. It's Louis and Liam he notices first, talking to someone who has his back to Niall. But that back looks familiar, the height and the way their shoulders tense. Niall drops his bow when realisation hits him and he presses the back of his hand against his mouth.

Zayn.

The first excitement settles quickly and makes room for something desperate, something that tears at his heart and is extremely painful. Because Zayn's hair is not blond anymore. He shaved it all off and now it's short and black again. It feels like Zayn has disinherited him.

( _It's the second summer since they've known each other when Zayn takes Niall with him to see his mum. She smiles sadly at Niall because he looks so much like Apollo, the same laugh, she said. Still, she makes him feel like home and the boys share a bed to stay up all night and talk. It's the happiest summer Niall can recall._

_They spend one of those days in the bathroom, when Zayn's mum is working, giggling and rubbing dye into each other's hair._ Mum will kill us, _Zayn says but doesn't stop grinning. Niall grins back._ Don't worry, I'll protect you _. He is the little brother but he still wants to take care of Zayn the way Zayn always takes care of him. When he came to Camp Half-Blood he had no one and most Apollo kids are really busy with their own stuff. Zayn wasn't like that._

_When they're finished they smile into the mirror, ruffling each other's blond hair. _Now we really look like brothers_ , Zayn says. Niall smooches his cheek._)

Zayn barely has the chance to turn around before Niall grabs him by the collar, hands trembling from the effort to not punch him.

"You come back for Louis and Liam but not for your brother? _The fuck_ , Zayn!"

"Niall..." Zayn's voice sounds pained but it's even more painful for Niall to hear him say his name.

He wants to strangle Zayn, wants to hug him, wants to punch him, wants to kiss him. All of his emotions collide and make him shake Zayn with both hands. He feels tears sting in his eyes, sees the same in Zayn's but they were already there, before he even knew Niall was coming. Louis and Liam look conflicted. 

"Where the fuck _were_ you?! Where were you that night when I almost died, huh?! I needed you and, and you! Fuck!"

It is Harry who loops one arm around Niall's torso and pulls him back, away from Zayn, who stumbles and gets caught by Liam.

"Calm down," Harry murmurs into his ear, before he says the next thing out loud. "Shit, Zayn, do you have any idea what you've done to Niall? What you're doing to him by coming back like this?"

Zayn's eyes have a dangerous spark in them that is fixed on Harry.

"And since when do you care about anyone but yourself, Harry?"

Harry's hug tightens around Niall. "Yeah, I'm quite selfish. Maybe I learned that from you."

" _Fuck you_ , Harry. Cutting you out of my life was the best thing I ever did!"

Niall hears the breath catch in Harry's throat and feels the arm slip away from him. Niall's eyes widen for just a second before he glares at Zayn.

"Stop it, Zayn. This isn't about him." Zayn doesn't look happy. "I guess this isn't even about you and me. You didn't even want to see me or talk to me, huh?"

"That's not true, Niall. You're my--"

"You don't actually care, do you? You didn't even tell me!"

Niall takes a deep breath when Zayn doesn't answer. He looks at both Liam and Louis, then Harry.

"With Zayn I have to pick a bone. So please, leave us alone."

The three of them leave without asking questions, moving like machines until only Niall and Zayn are left. Zayn eyes him suspiciously.

"Did you just use your charmspeak on them?"

Niall shrugs. "It has to rhyme, otherwise it won't work."

Zayn gives a small chuckle. "You write music all the time but that was embarrassing, really. Worst rhyme I've ever heard."

Niall takes Zayn in and the anger subsides, bringing back the sadness and the sting in his eyes. Zayn sees the change in his face and his own smile drops, the hard lines soften and he steps forward to nudge at Niall's beaded necklace. He recognises the new one, the black bead with the red dot on it, reminding Niall of the worst night of his life.

"Let's talk, yeah?" Zayn says.

Niall nods.

*

Harry is pacing. Zayn and Niall are sitting by the lake, talking, and Harry wants to walk over and strangle Zayn himself, but he physically _can't_. Not until they come back on their own. _Damn you, Niall_. That really is some powerful charmspeak. His siblings would be jealous.

"Can you stop that, Harry? Just sit down."

Liam is annoyed. Harry doesn't care but sits down next to them anyway. They're keep the silence going and watch the two sons of Apollo sort things out. Harry knows it's a good thing, but Zayn has a way with words that make Harry want to crawl up a wall. He can't believe that he actually tried to kiss Zayn once.

"It's good that they're talking," Louis mutters, chin propped up on one hand, elbow resting on his knee. 

"Yes," Liam agrees quietly as he takes Louis' other hand.

They care, Harry knows that. Niall didn't make the connection like Harry did. He only had to look at them and Zayn once to recognise it. Because he knows what broken hearts look like. He has left behind enough of those. It’s reasonable that Zayn wanted to talk to Louis and Liam first but… Niall is hurting. That is something Harry has to consider first. And maybe that's love.

When they come back neither of them says anything, Niall just slips his hand into Harry's and pulls him away, not looking back. Harry follows him (always does, really) and keeps his mouth shut until they're alone and climbing into Harry's bed. 

"You alright?" Harry asks carefully.

Niall nods. Frowns. Then shakes his head. "Nah, but I will be."

"Do you..."

"Don't want to talk about it. He's leaving again. He didn't mean to come back, at least not now. I don't know what's going on in his head."

Harry presses his lips together and rubs a hand over the back of Niall's neck. "Is there something I can do?"

Niall closes his eyes for a moment, relaxing under Harry’s touch, before he opens them again. "You can kiss me and tell me that you love me."

"I love you," he blurts out without even thinking twice and uses the grip on Niall's neck to drag him into a firm kiss. Niall opens his mouth with a sigh and lets Harry pour himself into their kiss. Kissing has always been some kind of sport to Harry, a way to arouse people quickly and it was fun. But even that Niall has changed for him. Now, kissing is as intimate as a hug. It is like a confession to repeat over and over again and Niall keeps his secrets, sucks them out of his mouth with a gentle smile. _Gentle_ , Harry repeats in his head and softens the kiss until it is Niall who melts into the sheets.

*

"Leave me to die, Niall. This wound is fatal! There is nothing you can do, it's over, I'm done for."

Niall rolls his eyes and keeps dabbing at the scratch on Harry's knee. The skin is all scraped off and there's blood running down his leg. It does look painful, but not fatal at all. Harry still acts like someone cut off his leg.

"What kind of flowers do you want on your grave?" Niall asks casually.

"Red roses," Harry answers with a serious expression. "And I want a proper speech. Tell them all about the things I did... only the good things, yeah? Tell them how beautiful I was and how much you liked me."

"Alright," Niall says, bunching the tissue in his hand. "But you're not gonna die today, Harry. I'll patch you up later since you already stopped bleeding."

Harry peeks down at his knee, inspecting it thoroughly and prodding at the tender skin with a hiss. Niall clicks his tongue and bats his hand away.

"Stop that, you'll make it worse."

They're still by the lake, wearing their swimming trunks, but unlike dozens of other demigods they're not actually _in_ the lake. They didn't talk about it, but they probably both have nightmares about shadows grabbing their ankles. So they just bathed in the sun for a while. At least until Harry slipped on the gravel. 

"Kiss it better?" Harry shyly bats his eyelashes at Niall, bottom lip stuck between his teeth. Niall knows that this is Harry showing off again. He still tries to play his little game with Niall and sometimes he lets him. Because Niall knows how to turn the chase around just as quickly.

He bends down slowly, not breaking eye contact with Harry as he presses his lips against the wound. There is a soft intake of breath at the touch and then Niall attacks. He opens his mouth against the raw flesh and lets his tongue dart out to taste the blood. Harry's breath comes more rapidly and he watches how Niall starts to kiss up his thigh. He always hates to be beaten at his own game. So does Niall.

"Better?" Niall asks sweetly and backs off, leaving Harry with a slight bulge between his legs.

"Yes... better."

They notice the other kids throwing glances at them and Niall gives Harry one last peck on the knee before he rises to his feet. It's always nice to see how much Harry is into it by trying to chase his lips. It makes Niall's heart pick up speed. Harry winces at the pain when he gets up as well and then stands so awfully close to Niall, like his personal space belongs to both of them. 

"You know," he says and traces one of Niall's eyebrows with his thumb. "People's eyes dilate when they see someone they want."

"Yeah, obviously. We're already dating, Harry."

Harry pouts. "Niall..."

"Ugh, fine... Wanna fuck me behind the stables, stranger?"

Harry grins at him. "Okay. But we must be quick, before my boyfriend gets back."

"I’m sure he’s one of the forgiving kind."

"Yeah… kind he is."

*

It's a few days later that Harry tells Niall about his mother. Niall listens carefully, with a steady hand on Harry's knee. Niall knows now why Harry has locked his heart away so securely. He doesn't think it was a sound choice but he _understands_.

"I won't break your heart, Harry," Niall assures him.

"I... I don't care if you do."

Niall swallows. "What?"

"I mean... I don't even want to think about what happens if you do. I just want to be happy, now, as long as it lasts. I don't know how my mum felt but... getting your heart broken might be worth it."

Niall smiles at him softly. "Love always hurts at some point."

Harry only lifts one corner of his mouth when he recognises his own words.

"Hah. I like it when you hurt me though."

"But only a little."

"Only a little," Harry confirms with a nod and keeps staring at his shoes, picking at the laces.

Niall watches Harry for a long time before he leans over to whisper into his ear. "Knock knock..."

Harry's eyes widen and he turns his head. 

"Who's there?"

"Toilet."

"Toilet who?" Harry grins.

"It's toilet to apollo-gise..."

Harry laughs so hard that he falls over and drags Niall with him.

**Author's Note:**

> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> We appreciate all the appreciation in form of kudos or comments <3 
> 
>  
> 
> (You're also welcome to talk to me on my sideblog <https://squishyharold.tumblr.com/> )


End file.
